Why Winnie Kiiza snubbed Kadaga meeting

On Wednesday, Winnie Kiiza, the Leader of the Opposition, was supposed to have been part of a meeting called by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to draft guidelines for consultations on the proposed bill to lift the presidential age-limit.

Instead, she chose to stay away.

Why?

“The invitation wasn’t indicating that we are going to discuss how we are going to move with consultations. I am just getting it from you,” Kiiza said.

She said the the meeting was not necessary since guidance on consultation had been given in the House before sittings were adjourned.

Kiiza noted that the person Kadaga needs to prevail upon is the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kale Kayihura who is making it impossible for MPs opposed to the lifting of the presidential age limit to consult the electorate.

Following events in the Parliament Chambers last month where a section of MPs opposed to the lifting of the presidential age limit were forcefully evicted from the House prior to the tabling of the bill, Kadaga was set to collide with opposition legislators.

The speaker has for the last one week been seen to be trying to reconcile with some opposition members through her visits to the different MPs who were injured in the scuffle with some still bed ridden.

Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the opposition whip said before they interface with the speaker on any matter, she owes them an explanation as to why security operatives raided parliament and forcefully ejected them.

Article 102(b) caps the presidential age at 75, and MP Magyezi’s bill is seen as a move which could make President Yoweri Museveni eligible to contest for another term of office.

At 73, Museveni would be ineligible to contest for the presidency in 2021, when his current term ends.